CANANDAIGUA — A public hearing Tuesday on proposed tax incentives for a lakefront hotel project concluded with an objection from one person. The lone detractor was the only resident in attendance to speak on the issue.

Tuesday's hearing was the second such public forum on the tax breaks.

Following the first public hearing on Sept. 23, the Ontario County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) voted to waive the sales and mortgage reporting taxes associated with construction of the building at 205 Lakeshore Drive. However, due to an error in posting notice of the hearing, a second hearing was required.

The mistake also voided the IDA approval. The group will vote again on the tax incentives during its next meeting — 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 at 20 Ontario St. The meeting is open to the public.

Tuesday’s hearing featured a small group. In attendance were Michael Manikowski and Suzanne Vary of the IDA, Canandaigua Finger Lakes Resort project partner Bob Murphy and attorney Jerry Goldman, representing the hotel and Canandaigua property owner Mike Yarger of Brighton.

Manikowski apologized for the previous hearing posting error and opened the floor to the public.

Yarger stated his case against the tax incentives.

“I'm opposed to the granting of this tax abatement for this property,” Yarger said. He said the city could use the money for other pressing needs, such as hiring additional firefighters.

“Without this, the project doesn’t happen” Manikowski said. “Without this, the city will have a piece of property that is generating no revenue.”

Yarger said he finds it hard to believe the project would be halted without the incentives.

Manikowski, along with Murphy and Vary, said they believe the city will benefit from the hotel and conference center. Manikowski added that the addition fits the county’s economic development strategy and said the current lack of a hotel and conference center causes the area to lose events to other cities, such as Rochester.

“The cost benefit analysis does indicate there is more benefit than cost,” Vary said. “The city would gain sales tax.”

The cost benefit analysis is a public document and available at the IDA office.

Manikowski added that the project managers have not asked for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) at this point.

Property owner David Genecco was present at the Sept. 23 meeting; however, he was not in attendance at the Oct. 15 hearing.

The hotel plans state the building will be a five-story, 60-foot structure with 111 rooms and a conference space. The project also includes 4.8-acres of parking space and 48 boat slips for public use.

During a Sept. 24 meeting, Canandaigua City Manager David Forrest estimated that the hotel owners would save about $120,000 — $100,000 from the mortgage recording and $20,000 from the sales tax item — from the approved incentives. He added that the city will receive an estimated $150,000 annually in new property tax generated from the hotel.